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I’m a lucky girl, I won’t deny it. I married my soul mate and together we have six wonderful children and five grandchildren to be proud of. We live in a nice house with a beautiful view of the sea. And we travel the world as often as we can. Does this make my life perfect? No.

Like most people I too have my crosses to bear and first up on my poor-me-list, migraines. I got my first migraine sixteen years ago and have had at least one every month since. For those of you who don’t know the difference between a migraine and a headache, let me explain.

A migraine is when your head pounds like a jackhammer until your neck gives out and refuses to hold it up. You are unable to function in any capacity and just when you think it can’t get any worse, you start throwing up. The only thing that helps me is prescription migraine medicine. The side effects from this type of medicine are not good. I feel drowsy, weak, thirsty and achy. My migraines usually last forty-eight hours and then on the third day I basically feel as if I’ve been run over by a truck.

I’ve learned through the years to pick myself up, dust myself off and start over as-quick-as-possible! Three days a month is enough to lose and sitting around feeling sorry for myself doesn’t help anything. Believe me I’ve tried.

This week I was really unlucky. After lying on the sofa for two days with a migraine, I got up to get my son off to school and pulled my back out. Ouch! Which ended up stealing another couple days…

This morning I felt a lot better physically, but that poor-me-feeling was hanging heavy in the air. Before it got the chance to capture me in its tight warm arms and pull me down for another day, I got dressed and took off for the gym. (I’m not always this strong, but I try)

I turn on my iPod and run on the treadmill (today it was more like a slow jog) or I go spinning, until I feel strong and alive again.

All I can do is keep running and spinning until I’m seized by another migraine.

This is not a blog-award-post, but I am going to tell you two things about myself.

First, I love sugar. Especially when it’s in cake.

Second, I hate exercise. I’m more of a sofa lying, cookie eating type of gal.

I struggled for a long time feeling tired and unfocused. I also had headaches and a persistently runny nose. Fed up with feeling bad all the time, I begrudgingly decided to cut back my sugar intake. I also gave up dairy, and was determined to exercise a bit more than just walking my dogs everyday. I joined a gym.

Everyone says (and I read), the more one exercises, the more one likes it – Not true. (for me)

Everyone also says (and I read), the more one exercises, the better one feels – This is true.

I also found it easier to stick to my diet when exercising. I didn’t want all the work I was doing to be in vain. I spent half an hour on the treadmill and went to a forty-five minute spinning class three to four times a week. Luckily I had friends who also joined, otherwise I may have given up (I’m very easy on myself).

I also bought a juicer and started making my own juice every morning. This gave me energy to keep up at the gym and get my ‘five a day’. I tricked my son, who doesn’t like any fruits or vegetables into drinking it as well and we had a remarkably healthy winter.

Then summer came – School ended and we started traveling. I had no time for the gym, and who passes on desert while vacationing? Not me, thats for sure.

Once I was off track, I started using that as an excuse to stay there. For example; I’ve already had one piece of cake, so why not have another.

Now here I am, back to square one…

Thats why as much as I love summer (and I had a good one) I’m ready for it to end, get back to the gym and get my sweet tooth under control. For some reason, I can only make fresh starts after summer and Christmas.

So here goes…

A list of what I put into my juicer every morning (it may vary from time to time):